Dr Brandi Lee Lough Dennell

Personal statement

I am a Research Associate at the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection (CELCIS). Based within the Evidence and Innovation Hub, my role contributes to the organisation’s goal to work with professionals at all levels to improve practice development and delivery in order to improve the experiences of infants, children, and young people. My role includes:

• undertaking primary research using qualitative methods to understand the impact of professional practices on infants, children, and young people who are looked after;
• informing the organisation’s evidence base, through primary and secondary research, which contributes to strategic policy engagement; and
• evaluating the impact of CELCIS programmes with professionals involved in children’s care and protection.

My research interests include the creation and performance of identity and feelings of belonging, particularly in relation to children and young people who are marginalised or experience discrimination. I approach my work from an equalities and children’s rights perspective, with an interest in informing policy and practice improvements.  

My research experience includes eight years leading on LGBT Youth Scotland’s research direction as Policy and Research Manager, and two as a Research Assistant at the Centre for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland. I have a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh. My doctoral thesis focused on how Scottish Government and a third sector organisation elicited and employed particular understandings of ‘Scottishness’ and equality within race equality education initiatives.